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Leeds Carnegie given green light for Headingley return

Posted: 21/03/2013

Leeds Carnegie have confirmed they will return to Headingley Carnegie for their massive RFU Championship clash with Rotherham Titans on Easter Sunday, 31st March, kick off 3pm.

Leeds have had to play their last five home games on the road following the decision to replay the clash with Plymouth Albion at the start of the year because of issues with the new pitch at Headingley Carnegie.

Since that game on 6th January, the Headingley Carnegie ground staff have utilised the new state-of-the-art under soil heating system and brought in additional lighting rigs to help the process of allowing the pitch to bed in. This has cost in the region of £50,000 with members of the ground staff in seven days a week to move the lighting systems around the pitch on a daily basis to ensure that Leeds Carnegie can play at home again this season.

The RFU’s National Panel Referee Manager Steve Leyshon attended a training session at Headingley Carnegie today and took charge of 12 scrums across all areas of the field with no significant impact on the scrum caused by the pitch.

Given the outcome of the trial scrums, Leeds Carnegie have confirmed that the game against Rotherham on Easter Sunday will definitely go ahead at Headingley Carnegie. Leeds have two remaining home games in the RFU Championship as they look to secure a top four play off spot. The final home game is against promotion rivals Nottingham on Saturday 20th April, kick off 3pm.

Director of Rugby Chris Gibson commented, “We are delighted to be coming home to Headingley Carnegie for the Rotherham game. I would like to thank Steve Leyshon for coming up to oversee the scrimmaging session and for his time in inspecting the playing surface. I would also like to pay tribute to Jason Booth and the ground staff team at Headingley Carnegie who have worked tirelessly to try and ensure that we can return home before the end of the season and the board who have approved the additional spend required to make this happen. We now have two massive games at home to try and end the season on a high and cement our place in the top four.”